Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 72494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Fuck.
He started to step back toward the door.
Raising my hand, I waved him over and tried to remind myself that I was a Dom. He was a confused sub. I knew what to do.
I just needed to remember not to do anything that would fuck it up.
My heart almost stopped beating as Payton froze, clearly trying to decide if he was going to run. I wasn’t sure if the sound effects were helping or not, but after a moment, he stood straighter and inched in my direction. His steps were slow and he kept pausing every few seconds to take a deep breath, but he kept moving.
He didn’t even run when some dick at the bar sent a wolf whistle in his direction, but he wasn’t expecting it either and I almost laughed. He nearly face-planted he was so startled. His mouth dropped open and he blushed a thousand shades of red as a few of the regulars got vocal about wanting his attention.
I was glad he saw them as wanting to give him compliments and not just assholes being assholes, and it seemed to have chased away most of his fear because his last few steps were faster and more confident. His face was still a fiery red, though, and he tried not to make any eye contact with them like they were predators at the zoo.
God, he was so fucking cute.
Jake was reading my mind because the asshole chuckled. “I know when I’m not needed.”
He stood, smiling at Payton and looking like he was going to behave as the shy man finally approached the table. “I run the bar. Let me know if you need some liquid courage, cutie, but not too much.”
That had Payton’s face heating up again but he managed a mumbled “Thank you” as Jake headed back to the bar. That seemed to be all he could say at the moment because once he got to the table, he stood there staring at me like he hadn’t been sure I was real until that point.
When it was clear he needed some direction, I nodded toward the bench Jake had vacated. “Sit down, Payton. You’re brave coming in here. I’m proud of you.”
That got a blink like the computer in his head was rebooting but it took another few seconds for his body to start to move. As he settled into the seat, I glanced toward the bar to give him a second. “Bottle of water? And another round for me.”
Jake nodded and started moving around behind the bar to grab another bottle of the beer I’d been working on for so long it’d gone warm and flat. The exchange seemed to have given Payton enough time to catch his breath, or maybe it was just so normal he forgot to be worried because he was a lot closer to his usual self when I turned back to him.
“Thank you.” The soft words were better than the startled stare, so I smiled and gave him a nod.
“You’re welcome but I was just being honest.” Gesturing around the room and jerking my head toward the back of the building where we could hear someone getting spanked, I shrugged. “It’s an interesting establishment.”
That got a soft laugh from Payton. “The reviews were more honest than I’d expected.”
There were online reviews for this place?
So he’d actually known what he’d been getting himself into?
“I’m not sure I want to read those…hmm, maybe drunk they’d be funny?” That got a smile from Payton and he actually gave another laugh.
“Um, maybe it could be a drinking game? Every time someone’s review calls the patrons degenerates, you have to take a shot?”
Now it was my turn to laugh.
“We’d probably die.” Alcohol poisoning at the very least.
He nodded as a giggle escaped. “Probably.”
Settling back in my seat so I looked relaxed and casual, I took a sip of my slightly warm beer, then used the bottle to gesture around the room. “But they’re honest about what they want and what they’re looking for. The clientele used to just be old farts who were rough around the edges, but now a new generation of guys has found it and it’s picked up steam over the last few years.”
But we all thanked the universe every time we came that Jake wasn’t aiming to make it into some kind of preppy gay bar. There were clubs and shinier establishments in the trendier parts of downtown but this was one of the only bars where no one would blink if a Dom clearly had a sub or a pup.
They’d just call out what a pretty boy he was and they’d assume everyone would understand it was a compliment.
It was an interesting place but none of that explained what Payton was doing here.
“I’m not sure I want to know what it used to be like if this is cleaned up.” He shot a quick glance around the room, blushing over something…probably whatever he was thinking or the cry of pleasure that echoed throughout the bar.